Manchester Giants chief Jeff Jones is weighing up a move for another home-grown talent.

Manchester Giants chief Jeff Jones is weighing up a move for another home-grown talent.

The veteran coach added forward Ben Eaves to his British Basketball League squad at the weekend.

And he could be joined by huge centre Phil Wait, another Greater Manchester talent nurtured in the development hot-house of Manchester Magic’s Amaechi Centre.

Preston-born Eaves, who has been working out with the club for the last few weeks, will make his Giants debut against Mersey Tigers on Friday at Wright Robinson, as long as international clearance arrives from his former club Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus as expected.

Jones has also sounded out seven-footer Wait as he looks to add further defensive steel to his roster.

The 25-year-old Stockport-born big man has just completed a three-season stint at Monmouth University in the US and was, like Eaves, part of the wave of talent that grew up at Magic and has formed the basis of the Giants’ squad on their return to the BBL.

“We have been in touch with Phil and we are going to take a closer look at him,” said Jones, who was Magic head coach for around a decade before the Giants’ relaunch.

“Both him and Ben fit the criteria of us using Manchester-produced players in what we are trying to do here.

“He would obviously give us size but he has got a good skill-set and would bring some athleticism too.”

Jones is also looking at other British options as he seeks to boost the Giants’ front-court ranks, and said: “I’m relatively happy with most things but we need to improve our defence and rebounding.

“We are still searching to see what is out there. We have a two-week break after the Mersey game until we play again and if we bring someone else in we would do it as quickly as possible to get them integrated.”

While Jones was relatively pleased with the Giants’ improved performance, if not the result, from their narrow weekend BBL Cup exit at Glasgow, Friday night’s home clash with the Tigers gives them the chance to make it three league wins from six outings and shore up a mid-table position.

The Merseyside strugglers took a 50-point hammering from Worcester on Saturday and are without a win so far this season.